M14 Forum

TravelingMan0491 · June 27th, 2011, 05:01 PM

ahh yes the good ol red patches! I'm a Red Patcher deep down but haven't worn them since watching nuclear subs in Pearl Harbor. Ever since then, I haven't stayed put long enough with a Landing Support Platoon to justify sewing them back on just to take them off again! Not with an LS unit now since coming up through the ranks but man did we red patchers have fun with everyone else that didn't know what they were meant for..... other Marines and other military branches would think we were the AIDS Marines and when they asked... we would let them know that we were either in-flight missle techs, underwater sniper platoon or part of LSB (Long Range Sniper Battalion) just to name a few hah! Fun times

Jason0839 · June 28th, 2011, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenVet

You must have been in the wing side and worn the velcro on your coveralls. NOt all Marines wear coveralls.

There is one more patch that Marines do wear.

Marines do wear patches on their camies, mind you not all Marines wear them.

Red patches are worn on camies around the knee area on the side 1" X3" also on the cover 1"X1" front center, just below the emblem. These red patches are worn if you are with "LSB" Landing Support Battalions. The LSB folks are the very first Marines to hit the beaches, they clear them and set up for the amphibious landing party.

The red patches are worn to separate /avoid confusion with regular Marines during beach operation and for them to remain on the beach area. LSB Marines started wearing the red patches during the island hoping campaign back in WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Patch

dare2Think has it right, LSB wears something extra.

Worn those patches for 4 years on my camies with 4th LSB as one of the I&I staff. I retired in 1998 and I have not heard of any changes. Also my son would have told me, he is currently on active duty.

As far as flags are worn in todays uniforms, I have not heard any current news.

I DO NOT SWING IN THE WING!!!!!!!! I did over 140 combat patrols, coordinated, deconflicted, and called in air. SOP for our team was a patch with blood type, rank, last 4, and name that went on the velcro patch of our frog suits or front of the flight suit that we wore due to protection from the initial flames of an IED.

Thank you for your service BUT you retired in 1998 things have changed a bit!!!!

Note patch

...erased that one, dont like my face plastered on the net...

There should be a patch on my shoulder where the velcro is, for the patch, must have fallen off.

Dare2Think · July 1st, 2011, 03:24 PM

Here is a picture of me in Bosnia (1996). Up in the guard tower, note the flag on the right arm. Like I said, we had to remove this patch right after we left that area.

CE1371 · July 1st, 2011, 09:06 PM

Variations of the patch pictured below are the only patches authorized for use in Afghanistan with the exception of the landing turds

that wear red. They are worn on the outside of the plate carrier and MTV.

The only time you'll see patches with flags, skulls, doughnuts, and other tom foolery is on the Army or Air Force. Obviously, Bosnia was an exception to the rule and there are other exceptions here and there...

I did wear one extra patch on my armor that was a patch given to me by a Royal Marine of 40 Commando whose unit I worked with in Sangin, Afghanistan. I only wore it while I was attached to them and out on missions with them.

coloradosherpa · July 2nd, 2011, 07:38 PM

I have personally seen reversed US flags on the tri color desert USMC uniform, so please don't tell me they wern't worn. However I have never seen them on the new USMC digital uniform. I assume that they are not authorized on them.

As for the LSB red patch, it's purpose is similar to Army unit patches. Army unit patches were created in the Civil War to reduce confusion & aid in command & control. The "tom foolery" serves a purpose. And when I was in the Marines, it used to chap my ass that I had to wear the EXACT same uniform as units who were turds. Unit patches would remedy this.

Anyways, the point is that Marines did wear US flags on their uniforms. At least before the digital ones. Like the pic of the woodland cammies with flag, the flags on the desert cammies were for in theatre only.

CAStiffy · November 27th, 2011, 05:57 PM

Hey CE1371, where can we get a patch like that made?